Napier: New Zealand’s art deco secret

David Whitley discovers how a devastating earthquake led to Napier becoming one of the most architecturally stunning cities on earth.

Exploring Napier’s architectural story

At eye-level, Emerson Street looks like your average small city high street. A few cafés, a mix of chain stores and independent tat-sellers, nothing to get too excited about. But then you look up and it’s clear that the street is a bit special.

The upper levels of the buildings are awash with colourful pastels, sunbursts, speed stripes and ziggurats. It’s not just one building either; it’s nearly all of them. This Napier street is awash with art deco architecture, to the point where it looks like a specially designed film set.

The earthquake that changed Napier

But this is not Miami’s South Beach – the recognised home of art deco – it’s thousands of miles to the south, across the Pacific Ocean.

Napier, on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, looks like it is trapped in a 1930s timewarp. It’s a look that’s born from disaster. On February 3rd, the 1931 Napier earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale ripped the city apart. Fires tore through the city centre as firemenstood on the beach, helpless. Their hoses were clogged with shingle after they desperately tried to pump seawater onto the flames.

The abandonment of dangerous masonry

Pictures taken shortly afterwards show barely a building left standing. The before and after maps, however, are even more amazing. The Ahuriri Lagoon and southern marshlands that once hemmed the city in were gone – the quake had lifted the seabed up by over two metres. 

The rebuilding was done in a blitz – the vast majority was completed within three years of the quake. But more importantly, the old look was ditched. It was estimated that 60% of the 162 deaths in the city were caused by falling masonry – and there was no desire to recreate the grand red brick homes with heavy colonial-era balustrades.

Details behind Napier’s unique buildings

There was no particular grand plan to rebuild in art deco style. It just happened to be fashionable at the time, and it was relatively cheap – a major bonus given that the country was struggling through the Great Depression.

It’s tempting to say that the appeal lies in the uniformity; the concentration of the one particular architectural style gives Napieran unmatched singular look. It’s not more or less impressive than South Beach – it’s just different. It’s small scale and laid-back rather than brash and posey.

The roses on the Tobacco Company building

But that uniformity only stretches so far. And after a few minutes mooching, it’s the differences between the buildings that become fascinating. 

The Tobacco Company building pulls in art nouveau aspects. The owner at the time said he loved roses, so they were added to the interior dome and the large Louis Sullivan-style entrance archway.

The Municipal Theatre and ASB bank building

The Municipal Theatre goes all trippy inside with triple-tiered neon lights and a Cubist carpet, but keeps the ziggurat motif in the most unexpected of spots.

The ASB bank building perhaps captures Napier’s vibe best, however. At first glance it’s very simple, with flat columns and not much colour. But then you look at the panelled carvings. There are images of unfurling ferns and Maori weapons. It’s an unmistakably Kiwi take on art deco. And you’ll not find that in Miami.

More New Zealand North Island travel

• Auckland’s 16km Coast-to-Coast Walkway.
• Pedal-powered monorail: Riding the Shweeb in Rotorua.
• Kayaking to the Mine Bay Maori rock carvings on Lake Taupo.
• Sailing an Americas Cup yacht in Auckland.
• Tackling the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – New Zealand’s best day walk.